Skillet Diner – Capitol Hill

Skillet | 1400 East Union Street

Most brunch places in Seattle are good, but Skillet is in a league of it’s own! I’ve been hearing so much buzz around how good their diner is, I was really worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype. I’m glad I had nothing to worry about.

Judging from the number of people congregated by the front door, I expected a long wait to get seated. But because there were only two of us, we didn’t have to wait that long for our table—only about 10 minutes. Unfortunately, some of the larger groups were not so lucky and ended up waiting a lot longer. The dining room is good sized, with a long counter seating area. Next time, I think we’ll try to snag a seat at the counter. The place was packed, but surprisingly not that noisy.

Nook 206 – A Hidden Gem

Nook 206 Handmade Biscuits | 4754 University Way NE, Seattle

Nestled quietly in the 4700 block of University Way (or the ‘Ave’ as it’s known to locals), Nook 206 can easily be overlooked. I’ve worked about five blocks way for several years now and had no idea it even existed. Thankfully, at the suggestion of a few friends, I finally discovered this hidden gem.

Seahawk & Husky Pregame Brunch

As an avid fan of both Seattle’s football teams, I’ve spent a fair amount of time watching games at CenteryLink. Between the chaos of crowds, tailgaters, and gridlock, just getting to the game can be a frustrating experience. Now that 2012 football season is in full swing again, it’s got me thinking—why not get there early, beat the crowds, fill up on a hearty meal, and then head over to the game? Sounds nice doesn’t it?!

Well, the problem is SoDo and Pioneer Square districts aren’t really known for their breakfast options. So I’ve done some digging and pulled together a list of restaurants and pubs in the area that offer pregame brunch. Which one is your favorite?

Seahawk Game Day Brunches
BOKA Restaurant & Bar | 1010 First Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104
BOKA opens at 8am on weekends and if you dine at BOKA you can leave your car there while you’re at the game for $15.

Anthony’s Homeport Shileshole Bay

Anthony’s Homeport Shileshole Bay | 6135 Seaview Avenue Northwest

Anthony’s Homeport in Ballard is a great place for a more formal brunch with your family and friends. In fact, 9 times out of 10 times that’s where I meet my parents when they’re in town. You really can’t beat the view. It sits on the waterfront next to Shileshole marine. Almost all tables and booths have a view of Puget Sound.

After you sit down, they bring you a plate full of fruit and a basket of freshly out of the oven blueberry coffee cake—for no extra charge! That’s worth the extra drive time to get there. Now the Ballard, Des Moines, and Kirkland locations offer this fruit plate and coffee cake, but I’ve heard some of their other locations don’t.

Vera’s in Ballard

Vera’s Restaurant | 5417 22nd Avenue, Seattle, WA

This morning we visited one of my husband’s favorite restaurants, Vera’s. It’s a good thing I like their food, because my husband would eat here every weekend if he could. It’s a small diner located in the heart of old town Ballard. Tucked in between the major three streets–Leary, Market, and Ballard Avenue–it’s easy to miss, but once you’ve spotted their neon orange signs you won’t be able to miss it again.

One of the reasons we end up here time and time again is the fact we have never have to wait for a table. Don’t get me wrong, it’s usually very busy. Somehow though, they always seem to have a table open for us. The service is very fast and the waitstaff are friendly. And the food, even though it’s a little on the greasy side, is consistently good. We know it’s good because famed Seattle restaurateur, Tom Douglas, is even a regular.

Now usually my husband sticks to either their chicken fried steak or biscuits and gravy. This morning was no exception, he went with chicken fried steak (pictured). I opted for the waffle, eggs, and sausage combo. When all was said and done–we were in and out, in under 45 minutes for about $25 (not including tip).